Sir Peter Blake Trust general manager Vicki Watson met 55 members of the Queenstown Chamber of Commerce yesterday morning to urge them to nominate those worthy of receiving the trust's leadership awards, including the Blake Medal.
The trust was also looking for nominees for one of six annual emerging leader awards, she said.
The trust was formed in 2005, following the death of Sir Peter Blake at the hands of pirates while on an environmental expedition in South America in 2001.
Since the trust's inception, there have been three recipients of the Blake Medal - Sir John Anderson in 2005, Stephen Tindall in 2006 and Prof Paul Callaghan last year - and 18 for the emerging leader awards, including the University of Otago's Dr Gary Wilson in 2006.
Ms Watson said yesterday's talk was one of a series featuring guest speakers being held around New Zealand as the search for nominees intensified.
Yesterday's speakers were Prof Callaghan, last year's winner of the Blake Medal, and Air New Zealand general manager of airline operations and planning, Glen Sowry, an emerging leader winner in 2005.
Prof Callaghan told yesterday's gathering Sir Peter was an "extraordinary'' man who lifted the nation's spirits.
"He made us all proud to be New Zealanders. He lifted our expectations about what we could achieve.''
Ms Watson said the trust's mission, to carry on Sir Peter's work and keep his values alive, was relevant to all fields and people from all walks of life.
